Osun APC, Ataoja of Osogbo trade words over alleged illegal directive

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has accused the Ataoja of Osogbo land, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji of issuing directives to non-indigenes to vote for all the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming general elections.

The allegation was contained in a statement signed by Tajudeen Lawal, the Osun APC acting Chairman and obtained by Track news on Saturday.

In the statement, the Osun APC noted that the posture of the Ataoja towards the APC was undemocratic and absolutely an act of illegality.

The party frowning at the alleged directive said a palace source had disclosed that the royal father had summoned the leaders of the Hausa, Igbo, Fulani and Ebira communities where he warned them against voting for any other political party.

According to the party, at the meeting, the Ataoja also directed attendees to switch off their telephones to ensure the video and audio versions of the meeting are not captured.

The party also stated that the absence of the Igbo community leader in the meeting drew the irk of the monarch who angrily maintained that it has become his habit to exclude himself from such meetings.

The statement said, “It is on record that the monarch has never hidden his dislike for the APC as he celebrated the loss of the party as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC on July 17, 2022.

“It is this despisement that the Ataoja has for the APC and Mr Gboyega Oyetola that has not made the Oba Oyetunji congratulate Oyetola since the governorship tribunal sacked his preferred candidate, the embattled Governor Ademola Adeleke, and withdrew his certificate of return to be given to Oyetola, the winner of the governorship election.”

While maintaining that the alleged directive from the traditional ruler breached the fundamental human right of association of those in attendance, Lawal urged the affected non-indigenes to resist all illegal directives that might be coming from any quarters to infringe on any of their fundamental human rights